


That Thing of Ours

by Changdeol



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Gangsters, Angst, M/M, Sex, Smut, Violence, mafia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-27
Updated: 2017-03-27
Packaged: 2018-10-11 15:35:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10468323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Changdeol/pseuds/Changdeol
Summary: Baekhyun is a cold and violent head of the Byun syndicate, while Chanyeol is somebody who holds on to an old promise, hoping that it will eventually turn into something much more.





	1. Uno

‘No.’ Baekhyun didn’t even look up from his phone, still scrolling the newsfeed.

‘Boss, there is no need to get rid of her just yet. We could still use her to our advantage… We don’t really know if-‘ Jongdae’s voice died in his throat as soon as Baekhyun raised his head and looked at him. His expression was completely blank.

Jongdae swallowed hard, trying to refrain his voice from shaking. He stepped closer, because he had to try again. The older’s eyes followed him as he approached. His boss might have still been seated but although it was Jongdae who towered over him now, he felt impossibly small and hopeless. The other’s face remained stoic.

‘Baekhyunnie…’ He whispered, resorting to drop the honorific and appeal to his friend instead. He blinked away the tears threatening to spill. ‘I beg you. You know that I… I would never ask you this but…’

‘What I do know, Jongdae, is that you seems to have fallen for someone that you were supposed to use for information only.’ He interrupted calmly, coldly even. ‘I have no problem with bringing trusted people into the family, as long as I remain in control of the situation. But I think you can understand why I don’t trust that girl, and why I will never be able to trust her.’ This time a single tear did roll down Jongdae’s cheek, all the way down to his neck. He made no move to wipe it, breathing slowly. Immobilised. ‘The case is already closed, as far as I’m concerned, and I want no witnesses. Tell Yi Fan to get rid of her if you can’t do it yourself.’

Baekhyun returned to reading the news as if nothing happened. Jongdae took it as a cue of dismissal.

‘Consider this mercy, Jongdae.’ The older added quietly, almost as an afterthought, just as the other was leaving. It stopped the younger on his tracks. ‘Because any other person daring to ask for what you did just now, would have been long dead. And before you try anything stupid, remember that once you’ve entered the Byun family, you can never leave. Not even dead.’

 

 

Baekhyun would be lying if he said that situations like this one moved him even a little bit. He did care for those closest to him, and Jongdae was someone he considered kin, but he definitely did not bother sparing his Chinese whore even one thought. Jongdae was upset – he was in love. Or he thought he was. Soon enough, he would get over it and move on. That’s just the way their world rolled.

It’s not that Baekhyun did not want to see him happy. But becoming a permanent in Jongdae’s bed – and life – meant they would become permanent in the family and Baekhyun couldn’t have a rat running around. Even if she had betrayed her own syndicate for them, what proof did Baek have that she would not have done it again for another?

The answer was none.

He reckoned it was for the best. Jongdae was still way too emotional to tie himself to anybody. In their profession, having a loved one was a weakness and before you figured out how to rationally approach the problem, you should avoid creating it. That was his personal policy, anyway.

He stood up, massaging his temples with his index fingers, a frown marring his face. So much headache and the day hadn’t even properly started yet. When he opened the door to his office, he immediately became even more frustrated.

‘Why are you here?’ He asked only, not slowing down for even a second. The taller man, however, easily caught up with him, walking half a step behind.

‘There was some commotion downstairs among the new employees. Yi Fan went to take a look and left me to guard the door.’ Chanyeol replied seriously, looking ahead.

Baekhyun grimaced slightly at that. Chanyeol’s act of professionalism seemed too fake to him nowadays. But maybe it wasn’t fake at all. Maybe it was Baekhyun’s mind mocking him. Now that the boy – the man, he had to remind himself – had truly sank into the depths of Baekhyun’s darkness, the latter couldn’t help but remember the cheerful smile that was once always present on the younger’s lips.

Those days were long gone, but sometimes Baekhyun reminisced. This masochistic pain was what kept him alive.

‘Should I call him?’ Chanyeol inquired after a silent moment, still following him.

‘Let him know I’m headed to Red Velvet. It’s been a while since they saw my face there. We don’t want them to get too comfortable, now do we?’ He smirked as he descended the stairs and crossed the empty dance floor, not caring to acknowledge any of the lower-ranked employees, all of whom bowed respectfully as he passed by. When he left the building through the back door, the car was already waiting for him. Chanyeol opened the door of the back seat for him.

‘Aren’t you coming with?’ Baekhyun asked impatiently, putting on his sunglasses. ‘In case, you know, someone tried to attack me.’ He said, but his bored tone of voice did not mask the bitter humour well enough. And he achieved the intended result: there it was, the loop sided smile breaking out on Chanyeol’s face. It was small, barely there, but it was something.

Chanyeol closed the door and went around the car, sitting on the other side. _How ridiculous_ , Chanyeol thought to himself, laughing at the sole thought of anyone trying to harm Baekhyun. The older would literally rip their head off.

‘Check on the shipment. The Chinese are really starting to piss me off. One more slip and the deal is off.’ Chanyeol nods and proceeds to sending relevant messages. Baekhyun observed him from the corner of his eye. A part of him was satisfied at how stoic and efficient Chanyeol had become. With his unmoved resolution and calculative mind, he was somebody that Baekhyun could certainly be proud of and on whom he could rely. But the other part of him coursed him for having turned Chanyeol in what he had become. From an innocent and cheerful being into… Turning him into a reflection of himself. Chanyeol looked up to Baekhyun too much for his own good.

‘Have you looked into the school that Irene found for you?’ Baek asked casually, already knowing the answer.

‘No.’ Chanyeol replied simply, his eyes never leaving the phone. Yes, Baekhyun knew the answer even before he asked, but he still felt obliged to try. ‘The say that the ship has already left the harbour. Tao and Sehun are going to be waiting on our side with the gifts.’ The transactions were never complete without bribes.

‘Good. They should take more people, just in case. You never know.’ Baekhyun relaxed in his seat and let his head fall back comfortably. He rarely let himself go around another person, but Chanyeol was not just anybody. He was not only the Buyn family. He was Baekhyun’s family, first and foremost.

Chanyeol, Chanyeol, Chanyeol. Where did Baekhyun even start with him? He was... close. He was somebody Baekhyun always kept close, cherished more than even his own sister, something he would never admit, of course. Not in front of Chanyeol, not in front of anyone. Not even himself. He preferred to keep his distance, still treating Chanyeol like a baby that he certainly no longer was. Never fully acknowledging his age and abilities. Acknowledging them would mean acknowledging his own feelings and Baekhyun couldn’t have that.

He was… a brother. _A brother_ , Baekhyun snorted internally. _Right_. From short height and round cheeks to towering posture and defined muscles - the silhouette of the man currently sitting next to him has become almost unrecognisable over the few months Baekhyun spent away some 6 years ago and when he came back, he felt a bolt of desire shooting through his loins. It hadn’t left him since.

But he kept his frustration at bay; after all, he was extremely good at it. He did not want to unnecessarily encourage Chanyeol. The amount of sexual tension surrounding them was more than he could handle, anyway.

12 year old Chanyeol following him everywhere as Baekhyun made his rounds on the streets upon his father’s command. The former’s mother was never home, whoring himself to faceless men for a dose of cocaine. Chanyeol was always alone, stealing food here and there to survive. Baekhyun was 17 and clearly saw that the younger turned him into an object of his hero worship. 

 13 year old Chanyeol sitting on the bench in front of his tiny ruined apartment. Baekhyun did not even realise when he’d started caring, but he had and when he made his way towards the area to check up on the boy, he found him there, in the middle of the night. His mother’s corpse was on the floor in their filthy living room. Her complexion livid and her eyes unnaturally goggled. Baekhyun was surprised Chanyeol didn’t throw up on the spot. He himself knew he wanted to.

For a few months, he paid an elderly lady to take care of the child, without anyone knowing, but before he had a chance to explain his actions to his father, he had already become an orphan. At the age of 17 and a half, he became the head of his family’s syndicate. His father was shot in the head by a traitor. So much burden and responsibility fell on his young shoulders but he wasn’t scared. Angered, yes. But not scared. He had been groomed for this his entire life. _Fear is only a state of mind_ , his father used to say. He succeeded in planting the idea in his son’s head.

He tracked down the people who tried to overthrow the Byuns and personally shot every single one of them. He felt nothing. It was justice. An eye for an eye. It and continued until today. If there was even a shadow of doubt, Baekhyun did not hesitate to eliminate it. There were exceptions, of course, like Jongdae. But then again, Baekhyun did not really believe that Jongdae would ever betray him, much less for a woman. Jongdae’s place was with them. Forever and a day after.

‘Hyung, are you angry?’ Baekhyun turned to Chanyeol, shaking off the bitter memories that appeared unexpectedly. He realised he fell silent for too long. ‘I wish we could stop arguing about this already. I understand where you’re coming from but I have no desire of getting a degree in anything. I’m good here, with you. Helping you in any way that I can.’

‘I don’t need your help.’ Baekhyun bit back, but without any heat in his voice. He just felt like he had to say it for the sake of his own sanity. He did not want Chanyeol to go anywhere. But at the same time, he wanted Chanyeol to go far away, save himself from the life that Baekhyun led. Chanyeol was the only person who could leave the Byun syndicate if he only as much as asked. But he did not want to. And he did not want to look at the American universities the older had his sister prepare for him, either.

‘I know why you don’t acknowledge me but that’s ok. I’m patient. My 25th birthday is just around the corner.’

‘That doesn’t change anything.’

‘It changes everything. I remember what you said. You said I should become a man, first.’

‘You are a man, Chanyeol.’ Baekhyun scoffed. Sour mood was his defence mechanism against any insinuations the younger might make. His only defence, recently. That’s why he avoided him as much as he possibly could. ‘I never wanted this life for you. I didn’t take care of you just so I could turn you into the likes of me.’

‘This line is so old now, hyung, it is about to fall apart.’ Chanyeol replied calmly. ‘This is the last time I’ll say this and after that, I’m never going to apologise for who I am and who I want to be, ever again. You clearly like this life and I don’t understand why you think you forced me into it. I like it, too. You gave me plenty of opportunities to leave but I never did. Rather than thinking that I’m here because I owe you, think of it as of what I want to do and who I want to be with. I’m a grown man now, Baekhyun, and you’re not my father. I can take care of myself.’ Baekhyun frowned at the lack of honorific but decided to let is slide.

‘No, I’m not your father. But as your brother-‘

‘You’re not my brother either, Byun Baekhyun. You’re a lot of things to me but you’re not… my brother.’

This conversation was over, Baekhyun decided. He turned his head towards the window, but not without a brief recognition of the desire burning in Chanyeol’s eyes. He knew the younger wanted him, probably almost as much as Baekhyun wanted Chanyeol, something that Chanyeol was of course not privy to. But while Baekhyun had sex with different men almost every night, he didn’t feel like tainting the man he still stubbornly called his brother.

They arrived at the night club and again, Chanyeol opened the door for him. Since Baek decided that the time for family was over, he stopped acknowledging the younger whatsoever. Something that Chanyeol was almost too used to by now.

Red Velvet was something that his crazy half sister wanted desperately and what she wanted, she usually got. At that time, Baekhyun had observed her actions from afar, not bothering to take away this apparent enjoyment from her. The man who had owned the bar did all he could to protect his property against the petite yet violent woman and her threats, continuously refusing to pay for protection of “the filthy mafia” but that was all in vein and forgotten now. A few months later, Kim Jun Myeon was already pathetically married to Irene and the club ended up becoming the family’s property, anyway. 

He was an awkward fellow, Baekhyun had decided when he first formally met him, but he couldn’t help but be impressed by the fact that the man stood his ground and did not bow to anyone. He was older than Baekhyun too, and very clever, and even without really wanting to, he had soon become the boss’s right hand. Byun Baekhyun killed, Kim Jun Myeon cleaned. The latter’s life had changed radically but he did not seem to have any regrets. He now wore his syndicate tattoo proudly on his left shoulder, along with his wife’s name.

Baekhyun found him behind the bar, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows as he cleaned the glasses one by one.

‘You’re completely whipped.’ Baekhyun remarked mockingly, his widest smirk on his face. He sat on the stool just in front of the other man. Chanyeol took it as a sign of wanting privacy so he directed his steps towards a group on men seated in the other corner of the room.

Jun Myeon’s smile still looked as innocent and genuine as ever. Baekhyun had been sceptical at first, but later realised that a face like him was indeed needed for the smooth sailing of things. Even the police had a hard time believing they had the right guy when they saw a golden boy like Jun Myeon. Something that Baekhyun heavily relied on.

‘No, Ju did not make me do it if that’s what you’re alluding to. I like wiping the glasses myself every once in a while and today is unusually calm. Reminds me of how it used to be before you lot moved in.’ He snickered, albeit in good faith.

‘Where’s Irene?’

‘We weren’t really expecting you so she’s out and about her own business. As long as it doesn’t affect our relationship, we have a strong separate life from work policy in our house.’ Jun Myeon began putting the glasses back into the cabinet behind him.

‘I’m thinking of cutting ties with China. I want to know your opinion.’ Baekhyun didn’t beat around the bush as he announced his plan to the only person that he ever directly turned to for advice. Jun Myeon stilled for a moment, before he closed the cabinet and sat down in front of the younger, unhurriedly wiping his hands in the cloth he just used for glasses.

‘On what basis?’ He finally asked.

‘You know that these days I kill more of them than I ever get profit. I’m bored of their inefficiency and constant problems. The stuff in Hong Kong is equally good and their scale is still not big so they want a break through to Korea. I can use them cheaply while still controlling them. In time, I might even be able to absorb them completely. Our syndicate never thought of expanding abroad but these days I’m getting greedier, I guess.’ Baekhyun said casually and shrugged, as it he hadn’t just talked about drugs and violent gangs.

His companion nodded.

‘I wouldn’t give the Chinese up yet, at least not immediately. If you just cut the cord, they will turn other people against us. We will be left without any shipment. Take a small parcel from Hong Kong first and see what they are like to deal with. If they are able to provide enough and regularly, tell the Chinese that they now have competition for our market. That way you’ll have them fight each other, while we get to sit back and count the money.’

‘That’s not such a bad idea, actually.’ Baekhyun admitted after a while, deep in thought. Jun Myeon hid his smile behind the back of his hand. Compliments were rare, coming from the boss.

‘How’s Chanyeol doing?’ The older changed the topic. Baekhyun scoffed.

‘What do you think? Having the time of his life.’

‘Stop being so harsh on him, because your denial is turning you into a hypocrite. You can be quite affectionate towards the people close to you, why are you always keeping your distance from him?’

‘Because Baek’s a little bitch, that’s why.’ Irene hopped onto the stool right next to her half brother. It wouldn’t be  complete lie if Baekhyun said he nearly got a heart attack. She’d always been sneaky.

Irene leaned across the counter to give Jun Myeon a kiss. Baekhyun scoffed again. She smirked at him.

‘Bet you want to kiss Chanyeol, don’t you? Or are you still playing hard to get?’

‘No offence, Irene, but shut up.’ Baekhyun growled, getting up and leaving the two of them behind, both laughing quietly at his annoyance.

‘Gentlemen.’ He greeted the small crowd that formed around Chanyeol. All of them immediately stood up, bowing in respect, although smiles never left their faces. Baekhyun was feared, yes, but he was also fair to his people, so those who did not wrong him, had nothing to be worried about.

Baekhyun noticed that Chanyeol tried to school his features back to serious but he failed – he looked really happy around his friends, most of whom grew up in the syndicate along him. Baekhyun was happy to see Chanyeol happy, but also could not help but feel jealous. It’s been a long time since the two of them laughed this freely about anything. These days they were too busy playing the game of mouse and cat in between them.

He looked around. Sehun and Jongin were Chanyeol’s closest friends as far as he knew. Sehun was a bastard child of a man that once belonged to the Byuns and was long dead – Baekhyun couldn’t even remember his name. He lost track of the kid until Sehun resurfaced again some years later, asking him for any kind of job that would keep him afloat. The kid was lanky but unexpectedly agile and had nothing to lose, which made him a valuable asset. Jongin, on the other hand, was a son of one of the older female bartenders working at Exodus, another club controlled by the Byuns. He lived dangerously and Baekhyun suspected him to be insane but as long as he got the job done, Baek did not care. The one time he  saw the younger kill a man, the latter was sporting a mad grin and was clearly enjoying the torture.

While the bravery was appreciated, the calm mind was something that had more advantages in their line of work. And anyway, all those people were under Yi Fan’s management so he rarely bothered with the likes of them.

Another man known as Lay – Baekhyun kept forgetting his name. He tolerated him only because Lay had a particular set of skills that were invaluable to them – self educated in chemicals and poisons, Lay’s strange combinations killed quickly and effectively. Not to mention, in a way that the death could not be traced back to them.

Lay was always high and flying on coke or some other shit. Baekhyun remembered that one time he caught Chanyeol, Lay and two others snorting met, back when Chanyeol was still living in Baekhyun’s apartment. The younger was 17. It was the only time that Baekhyun slapped the boy he called brother. He kicked the others out – they could die on the street, for all he cared – and made Chanyeol throw up until the latter cough blood.

_‘There is only one rule, Chanyeol, and that is we stay clean. We sell this poison for profit, we encourage others to take it – but we ourselves stay clear of it. Those idiots you call friends may take anything they like but our family stays in control of the situation. And you can’t be in control of even your own ass with that shit making you delusional. If I ever as much as hear of you even looking at it again, I’ll kill you, Chanyeol. Am I making myself clear enough?’_

_Chanyeol quickly nodded his head from the floor, where he was still on his knees, heaving. Baekhyun was not screaming; his quiet, barely louder than a whisper tone of voice was just as deadly._

Chanyeol never even lit a cigarette since.

Then, there was Tao… Baekhyun liked Tao. Tao could kill with his hands only, without a split second. He spoke little but was not afraid of showing his goofy side sometimes, something Baekhyun wished that Chanyeol could balance better, instead of sporting his “all grown up” expression. That made him look even more childish, in Byun’s opinion.

There were some others, he was not familiar with but their syndicate recruited so many low lives that he should hardly be expected to.

‘Shouldn’t you two be in the harbour already?’ Baekhyun raised an eyebrow, looking at Tao and Sehun.

‘Sir, the shipment will arrive in three hours. There is still time.’ Sehun reassured, smiling.

‘Shouldn’t you be in the harbour..?’ Baekhyun repeated only, unnecessary prolonging each word. Tao was the first one to sense the atmosphere because he quickly reacted with a bow.

‘On our way, sir.’ Without any delay, the two left before they could anger their boss even further.

‘If you’re done discussing whatever it is that you’re discussing, work is waiting. But of course, I wouldn’t want to inconvenience you with my own selfish needs.’ Baekhyun added, sarcastically. Irene was right, he was cold to Chanyeol – and probably a little bitch, too – but he had little choice, especially in front of other people. He could not have anyone gossiping about his twisted relationship with the younger.

Chanyeol rushed to leave his place.

‘We were just talking about Chanyeol’s upcoming birthday. We should throw him a party or something. Gifts. Alcohol. Whores. Chocolate.’ Lay butted into the conversation. He sat back down on his chair, heavily. He was clearly incapable of standing on his own feet for too long. Baekhyun rolled his eyes – he should send Yi Fan to solve the problem that was Lay, once and for all.

‘Whatever it is that the birthday boy wishes.’ Baekhyun snickered bitterly, turning on his heel and directing himself towards the door. He raised his hand in greeting to the couple behind the bar, but discovered they were no longer there. He had no time or patience to look for them so he just left, with Chanyeol in tow.

‘Birthday party, huh? You never wanted one before.’ Baekhyun remarked as he entered the car once again, sunglasses back on his nose.

‘Never felt like there was anything worth celebrating.’ Chanyeol shrugged.

‘And now it’s changed?’

‘You promised.’ The younger responded simply.

‘I never promised you anything. Chanyeol, I don’t know what you’re thinking but-‘

‘You promised.’ Chanyeol interrupted him quietly. Even without looking, he could tell that the other was smirking. ‘You have promised me a night with you as a gift for my 25th birthday. Don’t worry – I’m not going to try and make you love me like a pathetic fool that I once was. And if sex means so little to you, it should be even easier to let me pleasure you for a few hours. So, Baekhyun’ the older felt Chanyeol’s hot breath on his ear, whispering it like a secret ‘better change the sheets because a man is worth nothing if not a given word. Wasn’t it what you have always told me?’


	2. Due

‘…boss, are you listening? Baekhyun?’

Baekhyun slowly raised his head, directing all of his attention towards the speaker.

‘Does it look like I’m not listening to you, Jongdae?’ He questioned calmly. The whole room stilled. The boss had been unusually quiet the entire morning and his people knew better than to poke a sleeping bear. It was one thing to deal with his usual harsh and snarky attitude but the unresponsiveness he had been showing today was more than eerie.

‘Well… no.’ Apparently, Jongdae came to the same conclusion because he quickly turned around and continued his explanation of the losses they incurred during their business with China. Baekhyun’s gaze returned to the original spot, a small unevenness on the wall right next to the window he had had no idea was even there.

No, Baekhyun was most definitely not listening.

Chanyeol did notice his indifference. He could not be sure, of course, but if he were to flatter himself, he’d say that Baekhyun was behaving unusually because of him. Because today was the day he was turning 25. Since the conversation they had in the car, he older had been avoiding his company in any way possible. Chanyeol understood – it did not, however, mean that he was giving up. Quite on the contrary, he needed time to prepare himself for anything that Baekhyun might try to shoot his way.

Bullets included.

Chanyeol lost any illusion of innocence that he might have had quite young. He never knew his father, his mother cared more for her own well being, only rarely remembering to check up on him. Baekhyun was in his life for as long as he could remember – the crucial moments of entering adolescence and then adulthood, the young lord of the underground, as he was then known as, had been there for him.

Their paths first crossed when Chanyeol tried to steal food from one of the areas monitored by the Byuns and the 17 year old Baekhyun looked so terrifying, blankly staring at the younger, immobilising him on the spot. Chanyeol was ready to bleed, he saw the gun hidden in the inner pocket of the leader jacket that Baekhyun preferred, but strangely enough, he was not only let off but continuously being taken care of.

He could not pinpoint the exact moment when he realised that his devotion to the young man was not just obligation and life debt, but he really did not have to. The lifestyle they lived did not allow too much thought about the future and Chanyeol never spared time planning it, either. He could die for Baekhyun, he could do anything the older asked. That was his reality and that was his right now.  That was the only thing that mattered to him, the only promise he would never break. He did not believe even himself as much as he believed Baekhyun.

He was once gullible enough to voice out his feelings towards the other. He threw tantrums, cried, reassured over and over again. Baekhyun broke his heart cruelly and immediately left the country to tend to the overseas links of his businesses. Chanyeol did not remember exactly how long Baekhyun was gone but when he came back, Chanyeol was not the same person anymore. Over the summer of his 18th year, he suddenly gained additional 20 centimetres of height and 10 kilograms of weight due to the heavy training that Yi Fan had been putting him through. But most importantly, he had come to realise that whatever hell Baekhyun had inflicted on him did not, in fact, cause permanent damage. Rather, he began to think of it as a trial.

If there was one thing that Chanyeol had learnt from Baekhyun, it was the art of patience. And so, for the past 7 years Chanyeol had refrained from being overly emotional and whiny, and instead, did everything he could to make himself more attractive in the other’s eyes. If an occasional word or two about his feelings slipped from his mouth, he made sure to put emphasis on attraction, and not feelings. Baekhyun did not take well to emotions – probably because he never really cared for anyone deeply enough to acknowledge their power. But Chanyeol knew that their relationship was special, moulded over the long years of fraternity; and thus,  if there was anyone who could win the boss over, it was Chanyeol. He sensed that there was a mutual attraction between them, but then, there was also a paralysing fear, the cause of which Chanyeol had yet to discover.

The moment that Baekhyun decided that he had enough of the discussion, he simply stood up. Jongdae immediately stopped talking and looked at him expectantly. Both Chanyeol and Yi Fan moved to stand on either side of Baekhyun, ready for any orders he might have.

‘All of this is a clear waste of my time. We’re dropping the fuckers, I’m tired of their constant problems.’ He straightened the rim of his jacket, finally looking at Jongdae once more. ‘Find Jun Myeon hyung – he’ll tell you how to proceed with the deal. I’m heading back to Exodus, don’t interrupt me unless it’s absolutely necessary.’ His face looked completely blank as he voiced out this casual comment but the people present in the room would sooner cut their right hand off than interrupted him when he didn’t want to be interrupted. They just nodded in acknowledgment.

‘Not you.’ Baekhyun didn’t bother looking to his left to know that Chanyeol was just half a step behind him. ‘ You’re dismissed for today.’ He shooed him away with a hand gesture. When the footsteps continued, he stopped and turned to the younger, annoyed. ‘Seriously, get lost. Do what birthday boys usually do. Don’t you have to prepare for your party?’

Chanyeol bit his lower lip to refrain from smiling. It was not unusual for Baekhyun, who under normal circumstances resembled a ticking bomb, to suddenly turn whiny and adorable. At least in his personal opinion. Chanyeol just shrugged.

‘I wouldn’t know. I have a job to do.’

‘Get lost. I don’t want to see you today.’ The boss repeated, huffing. He quickened his steps. Chanyeol wanted to challenge the older – it was one of those little games he allowed himself to play because he knew that he could get away with them. But as he was readying himself to proceed, he felt Yi Fan’s hand on his arm.

‘Leave him alone, kid. At least for today. We’ll see you in Red Velvet in the evening. I’ll make him go, no matter what.’ He made a short dismissing gesture with his head and Chanyeol had no choice but to watch the two men disappearing around the corner. He wasn’t sure if the giddiness he felt was a good sign.

 

 

So Chanyeol ended up drinking in the afternoon. Yixing had called for him, and by the time he reached the back room of Red Velvet, most of his close friends were already plastered. He drank a few shots to ease the tension building in his stomach. He was not sure who was supposed to be in charge of the party – as they continued to call the gathering – but judging from the crazy eye that Yixing was sporting, it definitely would not be him.

Chanyeol shoved away a person trying to crawl into his lap and stood up, hazed. He needed water. Aspirin.

Help, in general.

When he emerged from the private room, he spotted Irene and Jun Myeon seated in the far corner of the hall, deep in the conversation. He leaned against one of the pillars, noticing how the man absentmindedly caressed his wife’s hand, while still keeping his head in the business that they were currently discussing. It wasn’t even the most affectionate of gestures that Chanyeol had witnessed but the inexplicable feeling that suddenly washed over him made him realise just how starved he really was for Baekhyun’s attention.

‘Enjoying spying on your elders, kid?’ Irene’s teasing voice brought him back to reality; he had not realised that he simply spaced out. He smiled sheepishly, rubbing his neck.

‘I was just staring without really meaning to. Sorry.’

‘You look like you could use some painkillers.’ Jun Myeon commented, before getting up and retrieving a pocket from behind the counter. Chanyeol took it and poured the granular powder straight into his mouth, not bothering to mix it with water. He did, however, gulp down the whole glass down immediately after.

‘Are they all dead yet?’ Irene asked, motioning at the back room he had just left. They had been drinking for some time and one could never be sure. The younger shrugged.

‘No way. You know that we are all like cockroaches – we always persevere, no matter what.’

‘That’s a bit pessimistic for a 25 year old.’ The woman chimed in. Chanyeol shrugged again. What else could he say?

‘If it makes you feel any better, Baekhyun is fighting himself just as hard as he is fighting you.’ The older male sent him an encouraging smile. Chanyeol frowned.

‘Where did that come from, my dear husband?’ Irene looked at her other half.

‘Ju, your brother is in so much denial about his own feelings that he can’t possibly back out any further.’ Jun Myeon linked their hands together, giving his wife’s palm a gentle squeeze. He turned back to the young man in front of him. ‘I don’t know what to tell you. Baekhyun’s situation is precarious. I’m certain that you understand why he constantly pushes you away. He probably feels it’s the only way to protect both of you. He’ll never let you in unless he feels that you can handle yourself.’

‘Which is probably never because you’re still the kid he picked up on the street and basically raised…’

‘Stop being mean.’ Jun Myeon prompted Irene, to which she just scowled.

‘Stop sugar coat it for Chanyeol. Baekhyun is stubborn. Waiting and pleading will never do any good with him. The only way to change his mind is to break him. Stop waiting for him to notice you and show him what he’s missing. Might as well make yourself sexy tonight for a change and rub it in his face…’ She muttered and left the table without as much as good bye.

‘She’s a bit temperamental at times but she might have a point. After all, the attitude runs deep in their family.’ Jun Myeon sighed and followed his wife.

 

 

Chanyeol did not expect Baekhyun to appear at the party so early into the night but what he expected even less was the usual smirk adorning the older’s face. Chanyeol spotted him as he sat down with a few of the known associates, easy conversation running between them. The waiter immediately brought him the preferred drink – whisky on rocks, Chanyeol did not even have to look to know – and he made himself comfortable on the armchair, his spot hidden deeper behind the dance floor but nevertheless, still visible from where the younger was standing. As if sensing his gaze on him, Baekhyun’s eyes met his and the former raised his glass in his direction, toasting. The smirk never let his face.

Chanyeol produced what he hoped was a mysterious smile, not a grimace and turned back to Jongin, whom he was currently dancing with. He tried hard to give his attention back to the dancer but his mood was somehow ruined. When he off-handedly glanced over his own shoulder, he noticed that Baekhyun’s eyes were still trained on him. He looked… hungry.

The rapid change of attitude puzzled him, to say the least, but Chanyeol quickly concluded that he knew what was going on here. He was, after all, the person who had the dubious pleasure of guarding the boss’s door almost every night he fancied bringing in an accidental lover. Chanyeol suspected it was purposely done, in a vain attempt to discourage him from any further advances. He had surely seen it all, so to think that Baekhyun would try his tricks on Chanyeol of all people, made the latter almost laugh out loud in mirth.

Turning from a prey to a predator, it was the older’s way of regaining control over the situation. Except that Chanyeol refused to be treated like the rest of Baekhyun’s whores and it was easy enough to turn the tables once again. But more importantly, to once and for all confront him about their relationship. And if Baekhyun still did not budge, then maybe, just maybe, it was really time for Chanyeol to stop being so hung up over him.

The young man brought his friend closer, grinding against him. He had no plans of leading the other on, but he knew Jongin’s sympathies laid elsewhere, hence he had no remorse in using him. He refrained himself from grinning although he wanted to – being the one manipulating, and not manipulated, surely felt refreshing. The club was bursting with people, all sweaty and dancing feverishly, therefore taking off his jacket and dancing closely to the other never felt more natural.

 _He did not even last ten minutes_ , Chanyeol thought to himself as he schooled his features and turned around only to notice the object of his desire holding him by the shoulder. He was sexy and he was more than aware of it, with his thick black eyeliner and the leather jacket he felt so comfortable in, but in that very second, Chanyeol just found him adorable.

Maybe they really did belong together because he himself was definitely not normal, either.

‘Mind if I take over?’ Baekhyun shoved Jongin away without as much as a glance and plastered himself all over Chanyeol, linking his arms on the younger’s neck. He brought their foreheads together.

‘So you like dancing, huh?’ The club was loud, but the young man was certain of the words that left Baekhyun’s lips. After all, he had been staring at them the entire time. He just nodded. It was one thing to be aware of the seduction methods that were being used on him, but another to be immune to them.

‘Let’s dance, then.’

For the next half an hour, Baekhyun did not let go of him once, save for the time a waiter arrived with vodka shots which both of them drunk greedily. By the time the older came to find him, Chanyeol had been left with just a tank top on, so to have the equally undressed man groping his arms and back was a novelty like any other. Baekhyun’s hands never wandered anywhere below Chanyeol’s waist but they really did not need to – he was already hard as it was. All that time the older was breathing into his ear, probably saying something, but even if the venue was as quiet as a church, Chanyeol would have a hard time deciphering his speech.

After what felt like forever – and a few of Yixing’s failed attempts of peeling him off Baekhyun for one reason or another – Chanyeol felt the tugging on his arm once again.

‘How about unwrapping your gift now? I don’t think I’m gonna last much longer.’ The look Baekhyun sent his way could easily make Chanyeol come in his pants on the spot. He gulped. ‘I prepared the room upstairs, we won’t be disturbed.’

‘The party…’ The younger mouths stupidly. Baekhyun scoffed, sensing what it was about, even though there was no way he could hear his whisper.

‘Leave the losers to their devices.’

Chanyeol was subsequently led upstairs. He noticed brief glances from friends that they passed by but at that stage, he was way beyond reasoning. The room was prepared neatly, with candles and satin dressing.

‘I have changed the bed sheets, as per suggestion.’ Baekhyun commented as he started undressing. Chanyeol had the decency to snort. ‘Are you just gonna stand there? I thought you wanted to fuck.’ The nicely defined arms were back around his neck, prompting him to lean forward. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll make it good for you.’

Just as the enchanted man was about to kiss Baekhyun’s lips, the latter turned away and all Chanyeol encountered was the lean neck. Also nice, but not what he was after. After a few quick trials, he frowned.

‘No kissing.’ Baekhyun just said. Now that stopped Chanyeol on his tracks altogether.

‘Excuse me?’

‘I never kiss when I fuck. Just a rule of mine.’ He pulled the younger further towards the bed, but he wouldn’t move. Baek turned around, raising one eye brow in question.

 _Of course_ , Chanyeol thought bitterly _. I was almost pulled in by his smooth attitude. He’ll have his way with me and kick me out in the morning._ Which was everything he had tried so hard to avoid. Fucking. No kissing. Chanyeol wanted the older, but not to the extent of belittling himself. He knew his own worth.

‘What’s wrong now?’ He repeated, impatiently.

‘I’ve been hard for you this entire hour but in just one moment you seem to have lost all your appeal.’ He replied quietly, his face expressionless. Baekhyun frowned harder. ‘I don’t want to fuck you. If I wanted to just stick myself into something tight, I’d pick up anyone downstairs. I want to be with you… Really be with you.’ He approached the shorter. ‘Kissing every inch of your skin and make you beg for me… but you already knew that. And yet you still play with me. How cruel, Byun Baekhyun.’

Baekhyun’s breath hitched for a moment, but he quickly composed himself. With the proximity that he shared with Chanyeol, he had to raise his head quite a bit but he tried not to let that intimidate him.

‘I promised you a night. My body is present, right here for you to take it.’ He replied nonchalantly.

‘Too bad that won’t do. I want all of you. If your heart is not in it, then the offer is not as attractive as I originally imagined it to be.’ Baekhyun saw the sadness in Chanyeol’s eyes and his guts twisted in anxiety but what could he do? Wasn’t his ultimate goal to discourage the younger from himself? Shouldn’t he be happy that he was finally getting through to him?

‘If you can’t take sex between adults for what it is, then get lost, kid.’ He knew he was being harsh, he aimed to hurt. But the blade of his words seemed to stab him, instead.

‘It’s you who can’t handle a sensual act between lovers.’ Chanyeol’s indifference was unnerving but Baekhyun was still adamant about not backing out. ‘I’m tired of waiting for you and watching you have fun with other men, instead.’ As he approached, Baekhyun instinctively slapped him. Chanyeol did not budge and finally kissed him shortly, earning himself another punch.

‘I’ll break your neck, Chanyeol, if you ever do that again. Kin or not.’

‘Then I guess I’ll gladly die by your hand.’ Chanyeol brought him closer again, trapping the older’s limbs in between their bodies. He felt Baekhyun biting his lower lip in spite; the younger flinched in pain but did not move. Eventually they both parted for breath, heaving.

‘I gave you all this time but you never took me seriously. Not once. If you had rejected me after giving me a chance, I would have understood. But making a fool out of me for so long… how cruel, Byun Baekhyun.’ He repeated breathlessly, leaning forward once again, except that this time, an equally eager pair of lips met him half way.


	3. Tre

Baekhyun was filthy, he himself knew that. He lost his virginity at the age of 15 to an older subordinate of his, just because he was curious and cocky enough to initiate the contact – and he hadn’t looked back since. He long lost count of how many men had had him, or rather, how many he’d let have him, but it was certainly bigger of a number that he would ever care to count. So yes, Byun Baekhyun considered himself tainted with all those strangers’ sinful desires and filthy to the core of his being.

However, as he experienced Chanyeol’s sensual touch for the first time, Baekhyun’s skin began burning with a new found desire, heightening his senses as if he had not ever laid down with a lover. He had wanted the younger for so long, sometimes even stroking himself in the middle of the night to the images of Chanyeol when the tension between them became too much to take, while his disappointing fuck from the evening before laid right next to him, dead asleep. Suddenly having the real thing in his arms felt quite numbing.

He felt Chanyeol’s kiss get more desperate, seeking entrance to his mouth and Baekhyun immediately complied. Their tongues began the taunting battle that the older had no chance or desire to win. He had fantasised about his protégée dominating him, consuming him whole –  melting him till there was nothing left but the two of them in a perfect union. If he was going to lose whatever little he had left between Chanyeol and himself, he might as well make it an unforgettable night.

Chanyeol parted from the older’s lips as abruptly as he first pressed his demanding kiss, but only to basically rip Baekhyun’s t-shirt off him. The latter did not mind one bit, he quickly re-attached himself to the broad shoulders that he was beginning to develop a fixation over. There was so much of Chanyeol that Baek had yet to explore – all 185 centimetres of temptation – but for the love of him, he could not go past the arms. As a result, he used his new found obsession as a leverage to hold on to as he felt himself being completely handled by the taller man.

‘That’s right… Keep rocking me… Just like that.’ Baekhyun kept whispering breathlessly into the other’s ear, every second word lost in a quiet moan. Chanyeol himself whimpered once or twice but nevertheless, confidently proceeded to shower Baekhyun’s neck with his obscene attention. The latter did not even realise when he reached the bed, having been led backwards until his calves hit the soft mattress. They both dropped onto it, Chanyeol now locking him in an impossibly tight embrace. When he started abusing the little spot just below the older’s right ear, Baekhyun’s eyes rolled back.

He’d been hard for more than an hour from just a simple dance, and if he did not speed this up, soon he was going to embarrassingly lose it before they even reached past this excruciating foreplay. Baekhyun might have been hot and bothered, but he also still remained himself. _A bossy little bitch_ , he suddenly heard Irene’s voice inside his head and he almost laughed out loud in the least appropriate moment.

‘Your shirt… off with it.’ He greedily pulled it over Chanyeol’s head, messing his hair in the process, and he was not disappointed. He had seen the younger naked from the waist up many times, but while it was sexy before, now it literally drove him insane with want.

And he was in for another surprise – he had known that the younger chose the spot right over his heart for the syndicate tattoo that he had imprinted there on the day of his 18th birthday. But right now, the place was still reddened with a new addition to the composition: letters BH in a fancy font, perfectly shaped to come in one with the rest of the mark.

Baekhyun decided that he would not comment on it for the time being. He gulped and quickly run his palms on Chanyeol’s stomach and sides but settled again for putting his arms around his lover’s neck. He wanted them both close enough to feel the other’s naked skin on his own. The fresh tattoo, however, was impossible to forget.

He moved one hand to Chanyeol’s butt and determinedly pulled it towards his own crotch, hooking his legs on the younger’s hips. They both hissed when their cocks rubbed against each other; even through Baekhyun’s leather trousers, it felt heavenly. He pushed the body on top of him a little, just enough to see his face clearly and when their gazes met, Baekhyun almost forgot how to breathe. Chanyeol’s eyes were brimming with desire and desperation, but also with so much emotion and _love_ for his lover that it was hard for Baekhyun not to get caught up in the moment.

More than anything, he felt he needed to somehow acknowledge it, because he did not want to hurt Chanyeol anymore. He took the initiative and pressed his lips to the other’s, this time it was gentle and more sensual than he ever thought himself capable of performing. Even without words, it just felt… good. Like Baekhyun had been floating aimlessly and he suddenly found a safe harbour to hide himself in.

He could not decide whether he liked or hated the unexpectedly soft side of himself that he just discovered.

They eventually discarded the rest of their clothes and Baekhyun felt himself being thoroughly ravished, worshipped even; the younger marvelled especially at his lower back, where he discovered Baek’s own syndicate tattoo. But unlike the one that everyone else wore, the boss’s was bigger and more elaborate, taking up almost the entire space above his buttocks.

‘So that’s where you hid it.’ Was Chanyeol’s only comment, although it was indeed the first time that he was actually allowed to see it. ‘There is an awful lot of initials encrypted into it.’ He noted after a moment of sucking on that patch of skin. Baekhyun was squirming, unsuccessfully trying to generate some friction between himself and the sheets underneath. He just mumbled incoherently in response. ‘What do they stand for?’

‘People that matter.’ He only gasped out.

Although he had it added when Chanyeol was barely 15, it wasn’t the best idea to let the younger know he also wore him on his skin permanently. Not in a moment like this one. Thankfully, Chanyeol did not elaborate and continued his ministrations. Every spot on his body received equal attention from Chanyeol’s mouth but the one that currently ached so badly in between his legs. He moaned in protest and the other actually had the audacity to chuckle at him.

‘I can’t let you go so soon, love. Not yet.’ He just added and Baekhyun’s mind could not wrap around the used endearment properly because he was too far gone. ‘Turn around for me, please.’

 _High time_ , Baekhyun’s consciousness snarled, but he paid it no heed because it felt too good. Chanyeol clearly wasn’t a novice in this and the older’s stomach churned at the prospect of Chanyeol having a string of past sexual flings. He did not have the time to consider what such reckless and easily developed feelings of jealousy implied. In that very moment he had realised that although he might have missed on many intimate moments with Chanyeol in the past, he would not make the same mistake twice. If anyone as much as dare lay a finger on Chanyeol again, he’d immediately cut their dick off.

Chanyeol was his to keep. The thought that downed on him sounded less scary than he feared it would. Baekhyun never had anyone he would feel possessive over – hell, he had given away his own sister to the first guy that came along – but while the man that he was now holding in his arms was already close to him, from now on Baekhyun would make sure that he never let him out of his sight. Never. He’d guard him like the fucking crown jewels in London Tower.

And there would be no argument about it. He could not let others take advantage of Chanyeol as Byun Baekhyun’s weakness.

They had sex – _they made love_ – facing each other. Chanyeol would have it no other way and Baekhyun was beginning to understand why. As he lied there, heaving and completely spent, observing the younger above him still seeking his own pleasure, he felt urges completely different to the ones that usually resurfaced after a random tryst. He would kick them out as soon as he reached his own peak – if the stranger was lucky, he would cum before that happened. If not, then he was kicked out of the room still hard and naked. Baekhyun would curl himself to sleep soon after – it felt empty but a good orgasm was like a bottle of his favourite whisky - it let him sleep better and momentarily forget whatever it was that was troubling him.

Right now, all he wanted was to continue staring at the bliss that adorned Chanyeol’s face, knowing that he was the cause of it. Tired, he still tightened his legs on the other’s hips and brought his lips down for another heated kiss. That was apparently what the younger needed because he finally let go, spilling himself deep inside his partner. It shocked Baekhyun – in the moment of insanity he forgot to even bring up condoms. He was not as worried about potential health consequences as he was about the level of intimacy it established between them.

In the 30 years of his life, Chanyeol was the first one whom he let come inside him. The hot texture constantly marking his insides, thanks to the continued thrusts of his partner, instantly brought a mild panic attack. Chanyeol finally stopped moving and just stayed inside him, burying his face in the crook of the older’s neck, breathing in heavy labour. Although the man’s frame on him undoubtedly felt heavy, it was not quite as cumbersome as the thoughts that flooded Baek’s head the moment the act finished.

In a moment, Chanyeol was going to get off him and say something that Baekhyun was not prepared for, possibly confess or try to hug him to reassure that everything was going to fine. And he just simply did not predict this scenario. He did not suspect that the physical act would awake other, deeper feelings that he had for Chanyeol. But was it really that easy to just admit them? Maybe if he let the younger coax him more into agreeing…

He felt Chanyeol getting off him and in an instant, the heat that enveloped him was gone. He observed him from the corner of the eye, getting up and shuffling to find his things, lying forgotten on the floor. Only when Chanyeol started redressing, did Baekhyun realise what was going on.

‘Are you leaving?’ He could not help but ask. He really hoped his voice did not tremble. Chanyeol  looked up and perhaps for the first time in his life, Baekhyun could not read the other’s expression.

‘You agreed to spend one night with me. I wouldn’t want to impose on you. I’ve seen how much you dislike it.’

‘You’re not…’ Byun stopped half way, realising how pathetic begging would become if Chanyeol truly did not have plans of staying until morning. He cleared his throat. ‘The night is not over yet.’ He said, instead and winced internally at how shallow it sounded.

‘I want to.’ Chanyeol admitted honestly. ‘But you’re going to turn me away eventually, either way, and I think it will be less painful if I just take my leave now, when I’m still somewhat dazed.’

He zipped his trousers and sat down on the bed, his large palms cupping Baekhyun’s face. _It fit perfectly_ , the latter mentally noted.

‘I’ve been with others but as expected, they all pale in comparison. I’ve loved you so long, Baekhyun, I’ve loved you so much even when you could not believe me or give me the time of day. I’ve continued, always confidently hoping that deep down, you also have feelings for me. But it seems that first loves are just that  - they are not meant to be fulfilled. So I greedily took the one gift that you were willing to spare me and I don’t regret a thing. Since I’ve become a man tonight, I will finally act like one… and let you go. I know it won’t be easy so please, don’t be so hard on me anymore. I’ll try my best to move on.’ He sighed and got up, avoiding the older’s gaze.

Baekhyun’s voice died in his throat; until the end, he wanted to say something, to call him back and confess how he felt, even against his better judgement, but he simply couldn’t. Once Chanyeol closed the door, Baekhyun leaned his head against the head board, swallowing the big lump that seemed to have blocked his throat. He just stayed there until dawn, his only companions being his pride and the mixture of tears and make up silently running down his face.

 

 

 

Watching Chanyeol move on wasn’t easy. He couldn’t even look at him without reminiscing the touch and the kisses that adored him so during their night together. Anything they shared in the past was virtually gone now. The teasing, the jokes, even the tension surrounding them. Chanyeol was there, doing his job, but always looking emotionless. He wanted to approach him, he really did, but he did not know how to voice out what he himself had such little understanding of. If he simply said that he wanted Chanyeol, he would look like an unreliable fool. And so, as days, and then weeks, passed, Baekhyun found himself withdrawing more and more, assigning Chanyeol to tasks that allowed them to be further apart.

 If his other close associates noticed the chill between them, they did not comment on it.

Besides, Baekhyun also had different problems to deal with.

‘Are you sure it’s the Chinese?’ Junmyeon asked, one of the rare moments when he found himself in Baekhyun’s office in his apartment. Yi Fan was standing further in the right corner, listening to their conversation.

‘One hundred and ten fucking percent sure.’ Baekhyun spit. He was mad. It was yet another proof that one always had to supervise everything himself if he did not want any mistakes. But he was also mad at himself for letting his personal matters with Chanyeol take his mind away from business.

‘How did they know when the shipment was due in? This is not an information that we just reveal left and right.’ The older was still seated calmly, but it was the calm before the storm. Baekhyun knew that Junmyeon’s analytical mind calculated the possibilities of a leak.

‘There is only a handful of people that knew what was going on. I’ll get to the bottom of this, don’t worry. The real problem is how to pacify Hong Kong. They will not be pleased to know that we still deal with the Chinese behind their back. And the fact that it was the Chinese ship that sunk their ship on the way to Korea will not stay secret for long.’

‘Leave that to me. I’ll take care of it. We will not be at a loss. But if somebody leaked the date of the shipment – for profit or otherwise – you need to find out as soon as possible. You know that every moment that rat is running around costs us serious money.’ Junmyeon was not usual the one to use such crass language so for him to express himself so harshly meant that he was beyond mad. Although they came from different backgrounds, they both understood the importance of loyalty. There was no place for betrayal, especially from people they considered trustworthy. Baekhyun only nodded, deep in thought.

 

 

Over the course of the next few days he took every opportunity to observe his people as closely as he could. He knew most of them on a personal level and as much as he had no illusions about the world that they lived in, he’d rather not find out that he raised a viper in his own household. Meetings, inspections, personal interactions – he watched and watched and suspected pretty much everyone but Chanyeol and himself.

Every time he tried to coolly assess the situation, he failed. There was no way that he could accuse Chanyeol of betrayal – he could not even consider such possibility. He knew that he should always be prepared for the worst but if Chanyeol  ever turned on him like that, Baekhyun would die.

Yes, he would die. He had accepted the feelings that kept growing and bore even more pain with every single day that Chanyeol was away from him. Therefore, if there was one thing more painful than separation from him, it would be his betrayal.

Baekhyun shook his head, getting back to reality. His mind was painting such dreadful scenarios. There was no way that it was the younger so the real question was, who was the mole?


	4. Quattro

‘Care to finally tell me what has happened between the two of you?’ Jun Myeon placed a glass of golden liquid in front of his boss and friend. Baekhyun turned his eyes away from Chanyeol seated further away with his colleagues and picked up the drink to his lips. The moment it hit his taste buds, he grimaced.

‘You’ve tricked me. It’s an apple juice.’ He observed, gaze accusatory.

‘You’ve had enough alcohol for the week.’ Jun Myeon shrugged innocently. ‘Seriously, should I be worried about you? Before you were just bitter. Now you seem completely… empty.’

‘I’ve been dumped for the first time in my life.’ Baehyun said humourlessly, downing the rest of the offering. The taste was rather sour. Jun Myeon frowned.

‘I’m sure that was not what happened.’ He refuted confidently. It was the younger’s turn to shrug.

‘I might have realised that I cared about him more than I initially thought but he went ahead and ended whatever we had had before I had a chance to admit my feelings. It was for the best, anyway.’

‘How was it for the best? Your logic is completely fucked up, Baekhyun.’ Byun winced. Maybe because Jun Myeon hardly ever cursed, his anger always inflicted more permanent damage. ‘You’re here, after all, sending him longing stares and drinking too much whiskey for your own good. He doesn’t look any better, to be honest.’

‘He looks fine.’ Baekhyun scoffed. ‘Just like he promised, he’s getting over me just fine. Look at him, all happy and cosy with those shitheads over there. And I’m fine with that, I really am. It’s what I wanted from the start.’ He sent another heated glare at the group he had been observing.

‘Yeah, you don’t seem bitter at all.’ The bar owner observed ironically, but Baekhyun barely registered the tone of his voice. He only sighed. ‘Anyway, what was it that brought you all the way here?’

Baekhyun wetted his lips, apprehensively.

‘Yi Fan thinks he has found the source of our trouble with Hong Kong but right now, we’ve been on a standby. It’s better not to alarm the rat yet.’

‘Is it..?’ Jun Myeon did not need to finish the sentence, seeing how Baekhyun’s expression hardened. The latter nodded once.

‘It seems that I underestimated him but it’s fine. It doesn’t hurt nearly as much as I thought it would. When the time comes, I’ll get rid of him myself. For me, loyalty is worth more than anything else. Without it, we have nothing. I’ll cut out those cancerous cells before they spread even further.’

‘No regrets?’

‘I’m long past that. Don’t be stupid.’ Baekhyun’s grimace held disdain. ‘He’s brought it upon himself.’

 

 

 

 

‘Hong Kong wants to know when they can expect us to fully commit to the deal made with them. I think they are alluding to the mess that are our relations with the Chinese mafia. Ever since you’ve decided to give them up, it’s brought nothing but trouble.’

Baekhyun looked sharply at the man in front of him. Recently, Jongdae had been slowly becoming bolder and bolder with his words and actions towards his boss. Baekhyun scoffed inwardly He should have seen it coming.

‘Are you accusing me of inability to handle my enemies?’ Although his smirk suggested amusement, his eyes stayed cold. Jongdae visibly gulped in discomfort, which for now satisfied Baekhyun. He wanted him to know who was in control until the very end.

‘Not at all, sir. All I’m saying is… the second shipment from Hong Kong is coming through tomorrow. If the situation repeats, they might not be so easily persuaded like last time. Without their cooperation and the Chinese withdrawing their supply, we will be left with nothing. It will leave the syndicate in a very precarious position.’

Baekhyun regarded the man standing in front of him from his chair for a few moments.

‘Tell me, Jongdae… I’m just curious. Who do you think it was that leaked the information about our shipments?’ As soon as he said, he saw the other flinch.

‘It did not necessarily have to be an insider. These things are not difficult to find out. They could have tapped our phones.. or…’ Jongdae’s voice faltered, flustered. Baekhyun just continued starting at him impassively.

‘Is that so.’ He finally replied. ‘The shipment will reach the docks tomorrow around 5. I’ll send some people ahead as usual but I need you in your office, waiting for my call in case something goes wrong. Be prepared.’

Jongdae only nodded and left the room soon after. The older’s eyes trailed after him, disdain quickly turning into burning hatred. He was going to enjoy cutting off Jongdae’s limps, one by one. _Filthy thief._

He then called for Yi Fan to come and the tall man returned with no one other but Chanyeol in tow. Baekhyun was surprised but congratulated himself for not jumping in his seat. As days passed by, he was slowly learning to look the younger in the eye again.

‘Send some reliable people to the harbour tomorrow in the afternoon. I’ve already told the youngsters to go and supervise the exchange, as usual, be we don’t know what may happen this time, so it’s better to have some backup. They shouldn’t be too visible, though, if you know what I mean. Jongdae will stay here in case I need him.’ He exchanged a quick look with Yi Fan that seemed to have passed unnoticed by Chanyeol. Yi Fan just nodded – he had always been a man of few words.

‘Should I go with Tao this time? I may be of use.’ Chanyeol stepped up to the task, directly addressing Baekhyun.

‘No. I will need you with me here.’ The older belated realised what it might have sounded like, for Chanyeol’s brows lifted in surprise. It had been sometime since Baekhyun requested him for anything. Especially now, with the unspoken chill between them. ‘What I mean is, I want you to stay around. We’ll get involved if necessary. Have the car ready and be on a standby. I will need somebody I can trust with me.’ He turned his eyes away from the younger as he voiced out the last sentence.

He still wanted Chanyeol to know that he trusted him, no matter what. It was probably the only small way in which he could amend his wrongdoings towards him. At the same time, he could not help but want to keep Chanyeol away from the epicentre of the possible proverbial fire. Baekhyun seriously doubted that he himself would be needed in the docks, therefore the possibility of involving Chanyeol in a dangerous situation was relatively low.

Whether Chanyeol was pleased or not with his task, or with Baekhyun’s not so subtle care for that matter, he did not betray his emotions, he merely nodded firmly.

 _Maybe it was for the best_ , a part of Baekhyun reasoned. _You silly, silly fool_ , the other part took to pitying him.

 

 

 

The next day, Baekhyun happened to see more of Chanyeol than in the past few weeks combined. Despite Yi Fan being continuously present, the younger apparently deemed it necessary to linger around and check up on Baekhyun, who felt both annoyed in somewhat flustered at the actions. He was already restless as it was, the atmosphere heavy with unease and uncertainty of the upcoming afternoon. Baekhyun really did not need Chanyeol to distract him, today of all days.

At some point, when Yi Fan left the room to get the documents from the safe in the office across the corridor, Chanyeol moved up closer, to stand next to the desk, at which Baekhyun was seated, looking through some papers. The silence between continued. Several times, Chanyeol looked like he wanted to say something, but ultimately always backed out, tightening his lips apprehensively.

Finally, unable to take the visible tension, Baekhyun sighed and looked up.

‘What?’ He asked bluntly. He never coddled the younger, but especially today he didn’t bother hiding his brusque attitude. 

‘You trust me.’ Chanyeol said in a low voice, after an obvious internal struggle. Baekhyun resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It seems that the more he cared about the younger, the shorter his temper towards him became.

‘No shit, Sherlock.’ The impatient comment left Chanyeol somewhat embarrassed.

‘What I mean is, after what happened between us, you pushed me away and I-I thought-‘

‘You thought that I stopped trusted you? I’ve always trusted you, Chanyeol. I will always trust you with my life.’ Baekhyun turned his chair towards the young man standing a few metres away. He seized him with a serious look. ‘Regardless of what might have happened between us, or whoever caused it, regardless of your obvious hatred towards me, there are only two people whom I trust completely and you are one of them.’

‘I do not hate you!’ Chanyeol quickly refuted, stuttering. In those brief moments, Baekhyun saw the old Chanyeol, the clumsy young boy who was too talkative for his own good. Just this brief glance warmed his soul. ‘I just-‘

Just then, Yi Fan came back and Baekhyun turned away, as if nothing have happened. Chanyeol swallowed the incoming words and closed his mouth. This was clearly not the place for the conversation that he wanted to have with the older.

So he just continued to stand there, purpose unknown, until he was shown the door.

‘I’ll call you when I need you here.’ Baekhyun barely looked at him and the intention was clear – that was the extend of what the younger was allowed to be involved in. He just nodded and left, albeit with a heavy heart.

 

 

 

Just because Baekhyun was not there in person, did not mean that he would not make sure to keep an eye on the deal from afar.

‘Still no sign of their cars?’ He asked again after five minutes of prolonged silence in the speaker.

‘Not yet.’ Taecyeon murmured on the other side of the connection. While Tao and Sehun waited for the shipment in their usual place, a few other guys, including the man on the line, remained around, in more secluded points, ready to interfere at any given moment.

Baekhyun knew that no news most likely equalled good news, but in this particular case, he could not shake off the strange premonition he’d head since the morning. Somebody was playing him, he thought bitterly. It was already a good half an hour since the containers reached the harbour but they were still not being released to the two young men awaiting them.

On top of everything, it was all happening unnaturally quietly, not at all like Baekhyun thought it would turn out. He had rightfully suspected that the Chinese would not try the same trick twice; therefore, it had forced Byun’s people to take additional precautions in regards to the product’s transport while already in Korea.

But it just didn’t feel right.

‘Call Jongdae in here.’ He calmly ordered Yi Fan. ‘I think we’ve waited long enough. Something fishing is happening behind our backs, I can just feel it.’ Yi Fan never questioned his boss’s intentions, so he reached for his cell and dialled the appropriate number.

‘He doesn’t respond.’ He replied after a few rings. ‘Is it possible that he’s already left the premises?’

‘I guess he’s not as idiotic as I initially took him for. He must have felt my suspicion on him – I wasn’t exactly subtle about it. It’s fine. The kill always taste better after a chase.’ He laughed humourlessly. ‘Go ahead and check his office just in case. While you’re at it, call Chanyeol in. The three of us will need to get our asses to the docks over there, after all.’

Yi fan nodded and hastened his step. Baekhyun stood up and put his jacket on, making sure his phone was secure in the inner pocket. But before he even had a chance to draw his hand away from it, the cell rang. It was Yi Fan.

‘Are we ready?’ He asked but was interrupted. Yi Fan sounded hesitant.

‘Boss, you better come here. Jongdae is not in, as we’ve already established, but neither is Chanyeol. I found his phone on the floor. There are no signs of struggle, but-‘ Baekhyun shut the conversation out before stumbling out of his office, crossing the corridor in great urgency.

‘Where is Chanyeol?’ Was the first thing that came out of his mouth when he reached the traitor’s room. Yi Fan stood there, in the middle of the space, looking around for any possible clue. He finally  lifted both tea cups, barely dipping his mouth in each. He grimaced.

‘My best guess is that after you turned him away, he came here to pass the time. For whatever reason, Jongdae drugged him and took with him. He couldn’t have been alone – even when unconscious, carrying his body would be beyond Jongdae’s physical ability.’

‘That son a bitch.’ Baekhyun cursed under his breath. He took out his cell phone once again, dialling Jongdae’s number and putting it on speaker. Jongdae did not pick up, not on the first, not on the second, and not even on the fifth try. Baekhyun sensed Yi Fan’s worried eyes on him but he kept dialling. His hands shook a little but he brushed it off.

Jongdae picked up the call after approximately ten minutes.

‘You’re persistent, I have to give you that.’ Is the first thing that Baekhyun heard. On the contrary to what the older might have imagined, Jongdae did not sound in any way pleased or victorious. His voice was rather quiet and neuter.

‘Nothing you didn’t already know.’ Baekhyun observed after a moment of silence. ‘Now, tell me where you are so I can tear you apart, finger by finger.’

‘Why don’t you ask what you really want to know.’ Jongdae responded, his voice still emotionless.

‘Where is Chanyeol?’ Baekhyun voiced out after another tense moment.

‘He’s here with us, but probably not for long, I’m afraid. I can’t stand looking at his face, it constantly reminds me of your affection towards him.’ He stilled for a moment, but ultimately decided to continue. ‘You know, he was just sitting there, talking to me about some shit I could not have been bothered with, and all I could think of was that you had ordered to kill Victoria. You had killed the person I loved, yet your lover was sitting across from me, well and breathing. I suffered a moment of insanity but I’m sure you understand. An eye for an eye, isn’t that what you always say?’

‘Jongdae..’  Baekhyun licked his lips slowly. He would lie if he said he wasn’t nervous. The other didn’t sound angry, nor was he his usual subdued self. The eerie calmness of his voice made Baekhyun uneasy. ‘Tell me where he is and I’ll make sure you don’t suffer for too long when I kill you. You don’t have much of a choice – if I don’t get to you first, the Chinese will kill you for sure. You’ve betrayed us and I’m sure you see how that does not exactly makes you trustworthy in their eyes.’

‘That’s all right. I’m taking my share and leaving the country tonight, anyway. You’ve always taken me for a fool but I can take of myself. I’ve prepared a few surprises in case I get stopped, which makes me untouchable to them right now. The only thing left is to decide whether I want to shoot your fuck myself or leave it to them. But I guess I won’t be able to resist. Don’t worry, Baekhyun’ he said with the air of finality ‘I’ll make sure he doesn’t suffer for too long. ‘He echoed the older’s earlier words. Then he hang up and the line went dead.

‘I got it.’ Yi Fan, who had been on his tablet during the conversation, nodded. ‘His attempt at covering the signal was poor, since he probably didn’t have enough time. Let’s go.’ He stood up, but Baekhyun’s hand on his shoulder stopped him.

‘I need you at the harbour, Yi Fan. We still don’t know what’s going on with the shipment. I’ll go get Chanyeol myself.’ Yi Fan looked at him like he was out of my mind.

‘You can’t possibly go there alone. Even with the two of us, we need to be extremely careful. When you took me in, I swore to put your life before mine, and I’m not about to break that promise. There is no way I can let you get yourself killed. It’s a suicide.’

‘You also swore to listen to my orders and I’m ordering you to first make sure that the deal is secure. Then take whomever you have in there and follow me. I’m not a helpless little boy and that’s my final word. You’re wasting my time.’

 

 

 

 

 _How unoriginal_ , Baekhyun thought to himself, scoffing, when he arrived at his presumed destination. _An abandoned factory in the middle of the woods, are you fucking kidding me?_

He stopped the car right in the middle of the main yard, not caring to be careful. If they were there, they must have already spotted him anyway. He shut the door loudly, taking out the gun he always carried with him. He knew it would probably be of no use but it gave him a sense of security.

 _Fear is just a state of mind_ , is what his father used to say. Until recently, there was nothing that Baekhyun feared, not even his own death. However, he had come to fear Chanyeol’s death and he hated himself for it. He had always known that caring was dangerous, it always turned into the carer’s weakness that ultimately led to his destruction. If it were anyone else, Baekhyun thought that he would probably be able to sacrifice their life for the greater good.

As it was right now, he was the selfish fool, who wanted to keep Chanyeol close for the sake of his own sanity. If anything happened to the younger… Actually Baekhyun did not even know his own limits in this respect. Something like this happened to him for the first time in his life. He didn’t even cry when his father was murdered, yet his pulse quickened just at the thought of Chanyeol’s discomfort.

Nevertheless, he confidently strolled into the building, keeping up the unfazed appearances. There was no way he was going down without a fight.

He entered the obscure place, blinking to adjust to the shadows hanging over it. Eyes moving and mind calculating, it didn’t take long for him to spot a tall figure, half seated half splayed on the floor in one corner, hands handcuffed over his head. The man wasn’t moving and Baekhyun’s heart immediately dropped to the floor.

However, before he managed to take even a few steps ahead, he was welcomed by the same eerie voice that he had head in the receiver barely an hour before.

‘Love is terrifying, isn’t it?’ Baekhyun sharply looked to the right, where Jongdae was casually seated on a messy table, a gun in his hand. The younger was looking at Baekhyun but his weapon was directed towards the man on the floor. ‘More potent than a drug, it makes you do things you would never suspect yourself of doing. Do you think that I wanted to fall in love with Victoria? It just happened. I thought that you, of all people, would understand me.’

‘Why would I understand? I’ve never loved anyone.’ Baekhyun’s statement did not come out nearly half as convincing as he wanted it to.

‘You’ve become such a bad liar, Baekhyun. I would laugh but it’s not even funny.’

‘What did you do to him?’ Baekhyun ask, referring to the unconscious Chanyeol.

‘I tied him up and beat him until I felt that I was satisfied, at least temporarily. It took quite a while, if I might add.’ Jongdae offered simply. Baekhyun tensed, silently gritting him teeth. ‘Don’t take it personally – I was actually more offended by his existence than anything else. It had nothing to do with you. And anyway, it’s not like he’s gonna live much longer.’

‘You’re going to beg for death by the time I’m done with you.’ They stared at each other for a moment, assessing the situation.

‘You really shouldn’t have come here, Baekhyun.’ Jongdae interrupted the silence. He looked almost regretful. ‘But you’re not my concern. I already said, an eye for an eye. At first I figured I might just help the Chinese sabotage your shipment and get rich in the process, but actually, Chanyeol for Victoria seems like a fairer deal. I’ll kill him and leave you for them to play with. I’m sure they will be able to come up with some ideas of their own.’ He took out another pair of handcuffs, his pistol still directed at Chanyeol. ‘Now, be a darling and help me out. Who knows, you might just buy him additional few minutes.’


	5. Cinque

Baekhyun ended up discarding his own gun and handcuffing himself to the radiator next to Chanyeol. After making sure that the lock was secure, Jongdae headed outside, presumably to make a phone call. Either way, Baekhyun was left alone with Chanyeol.

The man’s face was completely trashed, beaten black and blue, and Baekhyun wouldn’t be surprised if his nose were actually broken. There was no blood on his clothing, but the older was sure that Jongdae’s anger was not easily satisfied with just the man’s face. But Baekhyun himself was immobilised and unable to help him in anyway. He could only hope that Yi Fan did not take too long, because if the Chinese rushed here first, Baekhyun was done for.

He knew he should have fought, he would have easily overpowered Jongdae but he could no longer risk Chanyeol’s life. He would get him out of here, even if it meant becoming the other mafia’s prey.

But first of all, it was not like Byun Baekhyun to give up so easily. This strange thing called love might have temporarily weakened him, but did not, thankfully, limit his thinking capacity. He slowly nudged Chanyeol’s side with his foot. After a few attempts, the younger moved, groaning. He coughed and Baekhyun saw blood in the corner of his mouth.

‘W-what..’

‘Chanyeol, don’t move too quickly. You’re going to hurt yourself even further.’ Baekhyun advised quietly. ‘Try pushing himself up to sitting position if you can. It will lessen the pressure on your chest.’

‘Baekhyun?’Chanyeol murmured, but did as instructed. He hissed, clearly in pain but he managed to sit properly. ‘What are you doing ?’ He asked weakly.

‘What do you think I’m doing? I’m thinking about how to get us out of here.’ Baekhyun responded impatiently, looking around for any leverage.

‘What are you doing here? Why did you come for me?’ Chanyeol asked again, with a look that Baekhyun could only take as incredulous, because his face was over all, barely recognisable, with his left eyelid would not open, the eye too swollen to be used properly.

It was Baekhyun’s turn to be surprised.

‘Don’t tell me all those punches turned you stupid. Why wouldn’t I? You must be kidding me.’

‘I thought you stopped caring about me.’

‘For such a tall body, you sure didn’t get enough brains.’ Baekhyun scoffed, like he did every time the mood turned even a little sentimental. ‘If I didn’t, would I be stuck here, handcuffed in this shithole?’

‘So you do care about me.’ Baekhyun didn’t like how hopeful his voice sounded, especially considering the circumstances that they were currently in.

‘I don’t think this is appropriate time for such conversations. That asshat stepped out for a moment, but he will be back any moment and he’s already decided to kill you before my eyes. And once the Chinese are here, I will not live much longer.’

‘Did you come here by yourself?’

‘I expect backup to appear soon, but I really don’t know when. Until then, we are on our own.’

They fell silent, Baekhyun still looking around. Finally, his eyes landed on a small tin of oil.

‘I’m gonna try something. You stay still and breath slowly.’

‘What are you doing? Don’t put yourself in danger.’ Chanyeol pleaded but Baekhyun only chuckled, amused.

‘More than we already are in?’ He frowned and extended his left leg to the side as much as possible. He slid down as far as he could, trying to nudge the tin with his foot, but it was still far away. He gritted his teeth, fending off the sense of pain as he put more strain on his wrist, still trapped in the handcuff. After a few more excruciating moments, he managed to topple it over and it thankfully rolled towards them.

‘I need to get it open. Can you help me first?’

‘I will try, but I can barely move.’ In between them managed to get the tin to roll further towards Baekhyun’s hip. Thankfully, his hands were trapped behind him, rather than about his head, like Chanyeol’s were. Baekhyun grasped it and kept forcing the lid to open.

‘Thank you for coming, even though we’re probably not getting out of here alive. And sorry for being so useless. Jongdae knocked me out without me even suspecting anything.’

‘It’s my fault. I could have warned you about him, if I hadn’t been so busy avoiding you.’

‘So you were avoiding me.’

‘I thought that much was obvious.’

‘I, too, was avoiding you. As much as I could, anyway.’ Chanyeol admitted.

‘You clearly stated that you needed space so I was giving you what you wanted. Judging from how happy you are around everyone but me, I say you’ve got over your crush pretty soon.’ Baekhyun couldn’t help but let some bitterness resurface between the lines.

‘You might be the brightest cookie in the basket, hyung, but you obviously have no idea about feelings. Having harboured this love for almost ten years, do you honestly believe that one can get over something like this in a day or two? It will take me years to forget about you, if ever.’

Baekhyun said nothing to that. It was easier to concentrate on the task at hand.

‘I really thought I would be that person you would regret letting go. I distanced myself from you, but you never even fought for us – never mind lovers, you never even tried to fix the relationship we used to have. I’d come to the conclusion that you were just waiting for the right moment to get rid of me.’

‘Chanyeol.’ Baekhyun interrupted harshly. ‘Be quiet. This is not the time for such conversations.’

‘And why not?’ The younger raised his voice, demanding to know. ‘For all I know, I’m gonna be dead in the next 20 minutes. Just answer me so I can at least die in peace.’ Baekhyun looked at him, scoffing.

‘You owe me your life, kid. Only I have the right to kill you, nobody else. Jongdae will get you over my dead body. Do you hear me? I own you. You’re mine.’

Chanyeol was stunned into silence.

‘And when we get out of here, I swear I’ll never let you out of the house again. I’ll lock you up in the apartment forever, if it means I don’t have to go through all of this anymore. It’s fucking unfair.’ He kept murmuring more to himself, still trying to open the tin’s lid with one hand. ‘I don’t need this. You’re a fucking grown up and you should be responsible for your own life. I can’t watch your every move, getting all worked up about every single thing...’

‘Hey.’

‘..Right now, I’m feeling scared because they kidnapped you, what if tomorrow I’ll be scared because you want to go out and grab food from the restaurant around the corner? I have so many enemies, I can no longer trust you with handling yourself…’

‘Hey!’ Chanyeol finally stopped Baekhyun’s rant. The two looked at each other. ‘Now you understand what I feel every time you disappear into the night, except that I don’t even have the power to stop you. But you learn to live with it.’

‘I don’t want to! I want to stop caring about you, I don’t need it. I want my peaceful life back.’ Baekhyun was still in denial. Amidst all of this, he finally heard the lid pop open. He released the breath he didn’t realise he was holding.

‘Not caring indeed sounds better.’ Chanyeol mused. ‘But it must be horribly lonely.’

Baekhyun, who dipped his whole hand in the oil, froze in his spot. He, then, suddenly understood what it was that he was experiencing the past few weeks. Loneliness. It was loneliness, the feeling of not belonging anywhere. All these years he’d favoured accidental sexual encounters over emotional bonds, congratulating himself how well detached he was from the burdens of love and caring, when in reality, he was always on the receiving end of this affection. And he himself was giving just as much.

Chanyeol was there as his protégée, his companion, his younger brother. Becoming lovers would merely advance their relationship and sate their carnal desires, but the bond he was so adamant about avoiding, was right there.

As usual, Chanyeol was right. After the night they spent together, when Chanyeol temporarily stopped being a constant at his side, Baekhyun felt empty. He was completely and utterly alone.

And it felt horrible.

He cleared his throat, realising he’d fallen silent for too long.

‘I’m gonna try and slide my hand through the handcuff.’ Chanyeol said nothing, opting to lean his head back and breath slowly.

The plan was good, but even with Baekhyun’s child-like hands, it was simply not possible. Except that Jongdae was going to come back any moment now and he was going to shoot Chanyeol before Baekhyun’s eyes. That was not an option. Clenching his teeth on the loose collar of his coat, the older made a quick decision. He used all his strength and jerk his hand forward. He groaned in agony.

‘What’s going on?!’ Chanyeol asked, panicked. Baekhyun only shook his hand, still chewing on the hem of the clothing. He tried to calm his mind. It was this or getting tortured and killed by the other gang.

‘I managed to get my hand out.’ He only said.

‘But..?’

‘I think I broke my little finger in the process.’ Chanyeol hissed but knew better than to scold him. ‘When he comes back, I’m gonna pretend that I’m still trapped. Just play along, I’ll strike when I’m ready.’

Instead of another confirmation, Baekhyun suddenly felt their lips connecting in a brief kiss. It did not last even a few seconds, Chanyeol leaning towards him barely enough to touch. This, however, stunned the older into silence. He licked his lips, out of habit, and tasted Chanyeol’s blood.

‘Do it again and I’ll punch you, regardless of your injuries.’ He threatened weakly. Chanyeol stretched his mouth in something that was presumably a grin.

‘Whatever happens next, it was nice knowing you, Byun Baekhyun.’ He closed his eyes, leaning back against the wall.

‘Get used to it because I’m getting you out of here, no matter what.’ It was meant as another threat but Baekhyun became flustered, seeing how Chanyeol’s grin only widened.

‘Fucking adorable.’ He murmured to himself, looking exceptionally pleased with himself. Baekhyun’s eyes narrowed.

‘Say that one more time and I swear I’ll cut your d-‘

‘Looks like somebody has finally woken up.’ Jongdae’s entrance interrupted whatever words would have followed after their exchange. Both trapped man looked up at the newcomer.

‘Why don’t you just go and die in some rat hole, Jongdae? That’s where you belong, after all.’ Baekhyun spited.

‘Thank you for the offer but I’ll just stick to my original plans. Speaking of which, the Chinese will be here any moment and I better get going. That leaves me with only one task. Any last words?’ Jongdae turned to Chanyeol, voice still indifferent.

‘Just that I know what you’re feeling right now because I’ve been experiencing it almost half of my life. I pity you, Jongdae.’

Jongdae tilted his head, eyes lighting up for the first time in the long while. He looked at Chanyeol for the longest while before his expression twisted into one of tired amusement.

‘That’s an odd thing to say, considering the fact that your lover is sitting right in front you. Or are you trying to tell me that an unrequited love is equally painful as the death of your beloved?’ They looked at each other again before Jongdae finished his thought. ‘You know what, change of plans. I’ve just decided that I don’t hate you nearly half as much as I hate Byun.’

Before Baekhyun had any time to react, he felt an immense pain in his stomach. It all happened so fast: Chanyeol’s screams and him jerking against his handcuffs, door opening abruptly and Jongdae falling to the floor. Then everything turned black and Baekhyun lost conscious.

 

 

 

 

 

‘Can you, please, sit down?’ Yi Fan motioned at the chair, exasperated. Chanyeol was supposed to be laying in his own bed, but instead, he was pacing around the short corridor. ‘You’re driving my insane.’

‘Why can’t we see him?’

‘Because he’s tired after the surgery.’ The older responded like it was the most obvious thing in the world. ‘I’m going to use violence if you don’t sit your ass down right this moment.’ They locked gazes and Chanyeol finally relented. But before his butt even had a chance to touch the seat, he jumped back up, because the doctor left Baekhyun’s room.

‘The bullet missed all the vital organs so it wasn’t very difficult to remove it. He’s stable and conscious but I would appreciate somebody telling him that he can’t get out of here just yet. He was ready to march off the moment he woke up.’

‘Can we…’ Yi Fan meant to ask but did not get to finish as Chanyeol already strolled past the two of them and entered the room ‘…see him?’ The older finished, exasperated. The doctor smiled lightly.

‘Not for too long. He really needs to sleep.’

If Yi Fan feared that he would interrupt something between the two men in the patient’s room, his fears were unfounded. When he entered, Chanyeol was standing a few metres away, quiet, merely staring at his boss. Baekhyun raised his eyebrow, impatiently.

‘I know what you’re thinking and you’re right. Me getting that bullet is all your fault.’ Chanyeol grimaced, pain adoring his expression. ‘But then again, you looking all black and blue is my fault so I guess we can call it even.’ He turned to the man at the door. ‘Yi Fan.’ He greeted.

Yi Fan had to give him that – his boss absolutely did not look like somebody who had just been shot. He was as stubborn and his tongue as sharp as ever.

‘I’m sure you’re fine and all but you need to stay here. Believe it or not, you’re only human.’

‘You’re breaking my heart, Yi Fan.’ Baekhyun scoffed. ‘Business won’t run itself.’

‘That’s what you have me for.’

‘The doctor is creepy.’ Baekhyun was running out of arguments.

‘Doctor Do is the best choice, considering the fact that he never asks where all our injuries come from.’

‘I just want to get out. I’m your boss. I’m ordering you to take me out of here.’

‘Look at you, big baby.’ Yi Fan remained unimpressed. ‘All the more reason why you should remain here. You sound so ridiculous right now, we don’t want you to lose your authority in the family. I’ll get going, you two stay here and get better.’ He left without a word. Baekhyun scoffed, but he leaned back on the pillow, unable to take the pain in his abdomen for much longer. His head was spinning.

‘What did you do with Jongdae?’ He asked instead. As far as he knew, Yi Fan easily regained control over the shipment at the harbour and reached the old factory just in time not to let Baekhyun completely bleed out on the floor. He knew he owed the older his life, but it was not in his nature to coddle anyone. He trusted that the other knew him enough to understand his thankfulness anyway.

Chanyeol sighed.

‘Yi Fan left it up to me so I gave him a gun. I told him that he had 12 hours to either shoot himself in the mouth or somebody will come to finish the job for him. It was as much mercy as I could muster. I don’t know what happened afterwards, but either way, he is already dead. I saw them carrying his body out of the cell.’ The younger looked genuinely sad. ‘I know, it had to be done. He’d betrayed us and tried to steal from us, and we can’t have rats running around but… I can’t help but think that he was not completely rotten. He’s made some bad choice because we had pushed him to it.’

‘That’s why I always wanted you out of here, Chanyeol. You’ve been around for so long and you’ve probably already seen it all – yet you can still afford think positively about people like Jongdae. Some people know how we work when they decide to join us. They know it’s all or nothing. They are conscious of consequences when they make their decisions and Jongdae made his.’ Baekhyun raised one eyebrow, expression unreadable. ‘I can still send you far away, give you a new identity and erase you from here like you never existed. Before ’

‘Is that what you want? Do you really wish for me to just disappear from your life?’ Chanyeol asked quietly, looking him in the eye. ‘This time, I’ll do as you order. You own me, after all.’ Baekhyun winced at that. He had said it in the heat of the moment but he didn’t really mean it.

‘Tell me one more time that you want to stay. That despite all of this mess, you want to stay.’ Baekhyun asked, instead. His eyes moved from Chanyeol to the nearest window. ‘You know, this thing of ours… it might not even work out in the end. If I start loving you as strongly as I had always pushed you away, I will end up breaking you. I care for you and I know I want you, but I don’t know how to love.’

‘Good thing that you’re not in this alone, then. Any kind of relationship requires work from both sides.’ Chanyeol smiled tiredly. He, too, had had a long night behind him.

‘I might be annoying and overbearing and unnecessarily cold.’

‘Aren’t you already?’

‘And unfair. I can’t treat you any differently just because you warm my bed at night.’ He didn’t care how crass he sounded. He gulped – he realised that he was still scared to make that one final move. He felt Chanyeol approach him and that forced him to look back at the younger.

‘I wouldn’t dream of it.’ He chuckled shortly. ‘I want to stay and give this a try. Details like that… they don’t really matter. We already know each other like the back of our hands. You’ve already put me through hell and back, so nothing you can do will faze me anymore. But with time, I will make you see me as an equal and when that time comes, I want you to acknowledge it. The rest we can work out with time.’

Chanyeol kissed him lightly on the forehead but Baekhyun grasped the collar of his hospital gown and dragged him all the way down to his lips. They shared a short but heated kiss.

‘That’s a promise.’ He whispered, their foreheads still touching.

‘You better keep it.’

‘A man is worth nothing if not his word.’ Baekhyun replied with a trace of playfulness. Chanyeol gave him a lopsided smile.

‘You better go to sleep now. I’ll come by later. Sehun is outside if you need anything. See you later.’ He gave him one more peck and then he was gone.

Baekhyun’s eyes followed the other until he disappeared behind the door. He closed his eyes but doubted he would get any sleep. He knew it was not as easy as it sounded. They would probably fight a lot in the future. Baekhyun was probably going to go insane every time he saw Chanyeol leave by himself. Something also told him that he would get childishly jealous of everyone who as much as looked at his younger lover.

But on the outside, he would have to be as unfazed as ever and that was bound to hurt both of them. He trusted Chanyeol, his did, but it would not be easy to give him space necessary to do his job. Not anymore.

As he fell into slumber, he tried to push those negative thoughts away. He had no choice but to let time solve these problems as they came.

 


End file.
